Method for testing a surgical tool

ABSTRACT

In various embodiments, a surgical test device for a surgical tool, such as a severing and/or sealing tool (e.g., a surgical stapler), is provided. In at least one embodiment, the surgical tool can be configured to supply at least one actuation motion to an end effector. The actuation motion(s) may cause a cutting member to move within and/or sealing members (e.g., staples) to eject from the end effector. Further, in at least one embodiment, the surgical test device can be releasably engaged to a portion of the surgical tool, such as the end effector. Additionally, the surgical test device can be configured to permit the surgical tool to supply the actuation motion(s) while preventing the tool from performing its intended surgical function. Accordingly, the surgical tool may be test fired without wasting a sealing member cartridge, while preventing inappropriate use of the tool when the test device is attached thereto.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application claiming priority under35 U.S.C. §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/683,754, entitledTEST DEVICE FOR A SURGICAL TOOL, filed Jan. 7, 2010, now U.S. PatentPublication No. 2011/0163147, the entire disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The embodiments relate, in general, to surgical sealing and severingtools, such as a surgical stapler or endocutter, and, more particularly,to a test device for such a surgical tool.

An endocutter is a surgical stapler instrument that is capable ofapplying lines of staples to tissue while cutting the tissue betweenthose staple lines. Surgical staplers have been used in the field tosimultaneously make a longitudinal incision in tissue and apply lines ofstaples on opposing sides of the incision. Such instruments commonlyinclude a pair of cooperating jaw members that, if the instrument isintended for endoscopic or laparoscopic applications, are capable ofpassing through a cannula passageway. One of the jaw members receives astaple cartridge having at least two laterally spaced rows of staples.The other jaw member defines an anvil having staple-forming pocketsaligned with the rows of staples in the cartridge. The instrumentincludes a plurality of reciprocating wedges which, when drivendistally, pass through openings in the staple cartridge and engagedrivers supporting the staples to effect the firing of the staplestoward the anvil.

An example of a surgical stapler suitable for endoscopic applications isdescribed in U.S. Patent Application Publication. No. 2004/0232196 A1,the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, which advantageously provides distinct closing and firingactions. Thereby, a clinician is able to close the jaw members upontissue to position the tissue prior to firing. Once the clinician hasdetermined that the jaw members are properly gripping tissue, theclinician can then fire the surgical stapler, thereby severing andstapling the tissue. The simultaneous severing and stapling avoidscomplications that may arise when performing such actions sequentiallywith different surgical tools that respectively only sever or staple.

It is often advantageous to build an end effector for the surgicalstapler that is reusable. For instance, one patient may need a series ofsevering and stapling operations during a surgical procedure. Replacingan entire end effector for each operation during the procedure tends tobe economically inefficient. This is especially true if the end effectoris built to be strong and reliable over repeated operations. To thatend, staple cartridges are fitted into the end effector prior to eachoperation of the surgical stapler. Thus, a much smaller amount of thesurgical stapler is discarded after each use.

Further, while the staple cartridge provides numerous advantages, it isdesirable to prevent inadvertent firing of the surgical stapler when anunfired staple cartridge is not present. Otherwise, the severing oftissue may occur without the staples present to minimize bleeding and/orleaking Accordingly, some surgical staplers are equipped with a lockoutmechanism to prevent firing unless an unfired staple cartridge ispresent. Exemplary surgical staplers including a lockout mechanism mayinclude those described in the following documents, the disclosures ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference in their respectiveentireties: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/441,424, entitledSURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING A SINGLE LOCKOUT MECHANISM FORPREVENTION OF FIRING, (which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,352); U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/441,565, entitled SURGICAL STAPLINGINSTRUMENT HAVING A SPENT CARTRIDGE LOCKOUT, (which issued as U.S. Pat.No. 6,988,649); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/687,503, entitledSURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING A SINGLE LOCKOUT MECHANISM FORPREVENTION OF FIRING, (which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,380,695); U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/066,371, entitled SURGICAL STAPLINGINSTRUMENT HAVING AN ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATED SINGLE LOCKOUTMECHANISM FOR PREVENTION OF FIRING, (which issued as U.S. Pat. No.7,140,528); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/266,961, entitledLOCKOUT MECHANISMS AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS INCLUDING SAME, (whichpublished as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0102475); andU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/651,788, entitled INTERLOCK ANDSURGICAL INSTRUMENT INCLUDING SAME, (which published as U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. 2008/0167670).

The foregoing discussion is intended only to illustrate the presentfield and should not be taken as a disavowal of claim scope.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, a surgical instrument is provided. In at leastone embodiment, the surgical instrument can comprise a surgical tool anda surgical test device releasably engaged to at least a portion of thesurgical tool. In these embodiments, the surgical tool can be configuredto supply at least one actuation motion to an end effector. Further, inthese embodiments, the surgical tool can be configured to perform anintended surgical function. Moreover, in these embodiments, the surgicaltest device can be configured to permit the surgical tool to supply theat least one actuation motion while preventing the surgical tool fromperforming the intended surgical function.

In various embodiments, a surgical test device is provided. In at leastone embodiment, the surgical test device can comprise a body that issized and configured to engage an end effector of a surgical tool and arelease member that is coupled to the body. In these embodiments, thebody can lack sealing member openings and the release member can beconfigured to engage a lockout mechanism on the surgical tool.

In at least one embodiment, a surgical test device is provided that cancomprise a body and a release member that is coupled to the body. Inthese embodiments, the body can comprise at least two side walls and abottom wall. Further, in these embodiments, the side walls can extendfrom the bottom wall. Additionally, in these embodiments, the side wallsand the bottom wall can define a cavity, and the cavity can be sized andconfigured to receive at least a portion of an end effector of asurgical tool. Moreover, in these embodiments, the release member can beconfigured to engage a lockout mechanism on the surgical tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The novel features of the embodiments described herein are set forthwith particularity in the appended claims. The embodiments, however,both as to organization and methods of operation may be betterunderstood by reference to the following description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings as follows.

FIG. 1 is a left perspective view of a non-limiting embodiment of asurgical stapler including a handle, a shaft, and an end effectorincluding a staple cartridge.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the surgical stapler of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 depicts a bottom perspective view of the proximal end of thestaple cartridge of FIG. 1 showing a sled in an unfired position.

FIG. 4 depicts an isometric view of the end effector of FIG. 1 with ananvil in an up or open position exposing the staple cartridge and acutting member.

FIG. 5 is a right perspective view of a non-limiting embodiment of asurgical instrument including a surgical test device attached to the endeffector of the surgical stapler of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the surgical instrument of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the surgical test device attachedto the end effector of FIG. 5; the end effector is shown in an openposition and the test device is shown in transparency for clarity.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the surgical test device attachedto the end effector of FIG. 5; the end effector is shown in a closedposition and the test device is shown in transparency for clarity.

FIG. 9 is top perspective view of the surgical test device of FIG. 5,shown unattached to an end effector.

FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of the surgical test device ofFIG. 5 attached to an end effector of a surgical stapler; two jawmembers are illustrated in a closed position and a cutting member isshown in transparency for the purposes of clarity; various additionalcomponents of the end effector and a surgical stapler are omitted alsofor the purposes of clarity.

FIG. 11 is a partial perspective cross-sectional view of the surgicaltest device attached to the end effector of the surgical stapler of FIG.5.

FIG. 12 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the end effector ofFIG. 10 illustrating the cutting member resting in a lockout trough in alocked position.

FIGS. 13A-13C illustrate the surgical test device attached to the endeffector of FIG. 10 as the cutting member is moved into a release memberof the test device and over the lockout trough.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a non-limiting embodiment of a surgicaltest device.

FIG. 15 is a side cross-sectional view of the surgical test device ofFIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a bottom view of the surgical test device of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a top perspective view of a non-limiting embodiment of asurgical test device.

FIG. 18 is a bottom perspective view of a proximal portion of thesurgical test device of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 depicts a bottom perspective view of the proximal end of anon-limiting embodiment of a surgical test device showing a sled in anunfired position.

FIG. 20 depicts an isometric view of the surgical test device of FIG. 19inserted in the end effector of FIG. 1, in place of the staplecartridge.

FIG. 21 is a side perspective view of a non-limiting embodiment of asurgical test device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments will now be described to provide an overallunderstanding of the principles of the structure, function, manufacture,and use of the devices and methods disclosed herein. One or moreexamples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that thedevices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings are non-limiting embodiments and that the scope ofthese embodiments is defined solely by the claims. The featuresillustrated or described in connection with one embodiment may becombined with the features of other embodiments. Further, where anordering of steps in a process is indicated, such ordering may berearranged or the steps may be carried out contemporaneously as desiredunless illogical or the listed order is explicitly required. Suchmodifications and variations are intended to be included within thescope of the appended claims.

In the following description, like reference characters designate likeor corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also in thefollowing description, it is to be understood that terms such as“forward,” “rearward,” “front,” “back,” “right,” “left,” “over,”“under,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “proximally,” “distally,” and thelike are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limitingterms. The description below is for the purpose of describing variousembodiments and is not intended to limit the appended claims.

The various embodiments generally relate to various surgical testdevices configured to override a sealing member lockout on a surgicalsevering and/or sealing tool, such as a surgical stapler or endocutter.Such surgical staplers may be configured to function through a naturalorifice, such as the anus, mouth and/or vagina, or through an incisioncut through a body wall. Further, such surgical staplers may be designedas endoscopic tools, including laparoscopic tools. In any event, asurgical test device, according to various embodiments described herein,may allow a surgeon, nurse, or other user to fire and test the surgicalstapler to ensure that the device is working properly before using thestapler on a patient. As will be seen, a surgical test device may be alow-cost disposable unit that facilitates the test firing of a surgicaltool for one or more actuation cycles without damaging the surgical toolor using more expensive sealing member cartridges, such as staplecartridges or similar replaceable units. A surgical test device may beremoved after a brief test and replaced by an actual sealing membercartridge, such as a staple cartridge and/or fastener reload unit, priorto use on a patient.

Focusing now on one exemplary surgical stapler, the surgical stapler 10depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 may comprise a handle 6, a shaft 8, and an endeffector 12 connected to the shaft 8. In various embodiments, the endeffector 12 can be articulated about an articulation pivot 14 located ina distal portion of shaft 8. One or more rotation and/or articulationcontrols 16′, 16″ may be provided adjacent to the handle 6 to effectrotation of the end effector 12 about the articulation pivot 14. In theillustrated embodiment, the end effector 12 is configured to act as anendocutter for clamping, severing and stapling tissue, although, inother embodiments, different types of end effectors may be used, such asend effectors for other types of surgical devices, such as graspers,cutters, staplers, clip appliers, access devices, drug/gene therapydevices, ultrasound, RF or laser devices, etc. More details regarding RFdevices may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,312 and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/031,573, entitled SURGICAL CUTTING AND FASTENINGINSTRUMENT HAVING RF ELECTRODES, filed Feb. 14, 2008, the disclosures ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

The handle 6 of the stapler 10 may include a closure trigger 18 and afiring trigger 20 for actuating the end effector 12. It will beappreciated that staplers having end effectors directed to differentsurgical tasks may have different numbers or types of triggers or othersuitable controls for operating the end effector 12. The end effector 12is shown separated from the handle 6 by the elongate shaft 8. In oneembodiment, a clinician or operator of the stapler 10 may articulate theend effector 12 relative to the shaft 8 by utilizing the articulationcontrols 16′ and/or 16″, as described in more detail in published U.S.Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0158385 A1, entitled SURGICALINSTRUMENT HAVING AN ARTICULATING END EFFECTOR, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. Additional details regardingarticulating end effectors and their control may be found in one or moreof the following U.S. patent applications, the disclosures of each beinghereby incorporated by reference in their respective entireties: (1)SURGICAL INSTRUMENT INCORPORATING AN ARTICULATION MECHANISM HAVINGROTATION ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS, U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/615,973, filed 9 Jul. 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,111,769; (2) SURGICALSTAPLING INSTRUMENT INCORPORATING AN ARTICULATION JOINT FOR A FIRING BARTRACK, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/615,962, filed 9 Jul. 2003,now U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,382; (3) SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH ALATERAL-MOVING ARTICULATION CONTROL, U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/615,972, filed 9 Jul. 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,628; (4) SURGICALSTAPLING INSTRUMENT INCORPORATING A TAPERED FIRING BAR FOR INCREASEDFLEXIBILITY AROUND THE ARTICULATION JOINT, U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/615,974, filed 9 Jul. 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,731; and (5)SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING ARTICULATION JOINT SUPPORT PLATESFOR SUPPORTING A FIRING BAR, U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/615,971, filed 9 Jul. 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,964,363.

The end effector 12 includes, in this example, among other things, asealing member cartridge channel, such as staple cartridge channel 22,and a pivotally translatable clamping member, such as an anvil 24, whichare maintained at a spacing that assures, when the anvil 24 is in itsclamped or closed position, effective stapling and severing of tissueclamped in the end effector 12. As discussed in more detail below, thestaple cartridge channel 22 may releasably hold a staple cartridge 37containing staples. The handle 6 includes a downwardly extending pistolgrip 26, towards which a closure trigger 18 is pivotally drawn by theclinician to cause clamping or closing of the anvil 24 toward the staplecartridge channel 22 of the end effector 12 to thereby clamp tissuepositioned between the anvil 24 and channel 22. The firing trigger 20 isfarther outboard of the closure trigger 18. Once the closure trigger 18is locked in the closure position, the firing trigger 20 may rotateslightly toward the pistol grip 26 so that it can be reached by theoperator using one hand. Then the operator may pivotally draw the firingtrigger 20 toward the pistol grip 12 to cause the stapling and severingof clamped tissue in the end effector 12. In other embodiments,different types of clamping members besides the anvil 24 could be used.The handle 6 may also include an upper portion 28 that may sit on top ofthe user's hand when the user grips the pistol grip portion 26 withhis/her hand.

It will be appreciated that the terms “proximal” and “distal” are usedherein with reference to a clinician gripping the handle 6 of an stapler10. Thus, the end effector 12 is distal with respect to the moreproximal handle 6. It will be further appreciated that, for convenienceand clarity, spatial terms such as “vertical” and “horizontal” are usedherein with respect to the drawings. However, surgical staplers are usedin many orientations and positions, and these terms are not intended tobe limiting and absolute.

In operational use, referring still to FIGS. 1 and 2, the closuretrigger 18 may be actuated first. Once the clinician is satisfied withthe positioning of the end effector 12, the clinician may draw back theclosure trigger 18 to its fully closed, locked position proximate to thepistol grip 26. The firing trigger 20 may then be actuated. The firingtrigger 20 returns to the open position (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) whenthe clinician removes pressure. A release button on the handle 6, whendepressed may release the locked closure trigger 18. The release buttonmay be implemented in various forms such as, for example, as disclosedin published U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0175955,entitled SURGICAL CUTTING AND FASTENING INSTRUMENT WITH CLOSURE TRIGGERLOCKING MECHANISM, which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

Referring to FIG. 4, the end effector 12 may include a cutting member26, comprising a knife, for example, for cutting tissue clamped in theend effector 12 when the firing trigger 20 is retracted by a user. Theend effector 12 may also comprise means for fastening and/or sealing thetissue severed by the cutting member, such as staples, two-partfasteners, RF electrodes, adhesives, etc. More details regardingpossible configurations of the end effector 12 may be found in thefollowing patents and published patent applications, which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. No.5,709,680; U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,270; U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,818; U.S. PatentPublication No. 2005/0173490 A1; U.S. Patent Publication No.2006/0025809 A1; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0102453 A1; U.S.Patent Publication No. 2007/0102452 A1; U.S. Patent Publication No.2009/0206134 A1; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0206124 A1.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the stapler 10 may also comprise aclosure system for closing (or clamping) the end effector upon closure(or retraction) of the closure trigger 18. More details regardingembodiments of an exemplary closure system for closing (or clamping) theanvil 24 of the end effector 12 by retracting the closure trigger 18 areprovided in the following U.S. patent references, which are incorporatedherein by reference in their respective entireties: U.S. PatentPublication No. 2004/0232196 A1; U.S. Patent Publication No.2007/0125956 A1; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0158385 A1; U.S.Patent Publication No. 2007/0175962 A1; U.S. Pat. No. 7,464,849; and thereferences cited in the paragraph above.

A longitudinally movable drive shaft located within the shaft 8 of thestapler 10 may drive/actuate the cutting member and the fastening meansin the end effector 12. An electric motor, located in the pistol gripportion 26 of the handle 6 of the stapler 10, may be used to drive,indirectly, the drive shaft, as described further herein. In variousembodiments, the motor may be a DC brushed driving motor having amaximum rotation of, approximately, 25,000 RPM. In other embodiments,the motor may include a brushless motor, a cordless motor, a synchronousmotor, a stepper motor, or any other suitable electric motor. A battery(or “power source” or “power pack”), such as a Li ion battery, may beprovided in the pistol grip portion 26 of the handle 6 adjacent to themotor. The battery supplies electric power to the motor via a motorcontrol circuit. According to various embodiments, a number of batterycells connected in series may be used as the power source to power themotor. In addition, the power source may be replaceable and/orrechargeable. Additional details regarding surgical stapler 10 may befound in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/647,100 entitledMOTOR-DRIVEN SURGICAL CUTTING INSTRUMENT WITH ELECTRIC ACTUATORDIRECTIONAL CONTROL ASSEMBLY, filed on Dec. 24, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No.8,220,688, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by referencein its entirety.

As noted above, the surgical stapler 10 may include a staple cartridgelockout. In particular, various components of such a lockout withinand/or coupled to the end effector 12 may prevent the cutting member 26and/or a staple driver sled 38, within the end effector 12, fromactuating unless an unspent staple cartridge 37 is present in staplecartridge channel 22. Exemplary lockouts and staple cartridges may befound in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/687,503, entitled SURGICALSTAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING A SINGLE LOCKOUT MECHANISM FOR PREVENTION OFFIRING, (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,380,695), mentioned above amongothers.

An exemplary staple cartridge 37 is illustrated in FIGS. 3-4. The staplecartridge 37 may be sized and configured to be received at leastpartially within staple cartridge channel 22. The staple cartridge 37may include a sled 38 that is configured to be driven by a cuttingmember 26 located within the end effector 12. Accordingly, as cuttingmember 26 is fired and moves sled 38 in distal direction “DD,” staples(not shown) may be ejected from staple cavities and through sealingmember or staple openings 39. As used herein, a sealing member mayinclude, but is not limited to, staples, two-part fasteners, adhesives,and the like. Accordingly, in various embodiments, a sealing memberopening, such as staple openings 39, may be configured to eject asealing member therethrough.

While a staple cartridge lockout may be useful to prevent inadvertentfirings of the stapler, a user, such as a surgeon or an operating roomstaff person, may desire to test each instrument prior to using itand/or presenting it to the surgeon. This may be especially true forelectrically powered surgical instruments that require battery assembly.For example, a nurse typically runs a surgical drill for 1-3 secondsafter connecting the battery and before handing the drill to a surgeon,ensuring the drill and battery are functioning properly. However, asurgical stapler, such as stapler 10, may come equipped with theaforementioned safety lockout to prevent the device from functioninguntil it is properly and fully setup and placed in the actual surgicalenvironment. Specifically, many instruments can only be test-fired byinserting and firing an actual fastener cartridge/reload, which could becostly and/or dangerous to do in the operating room instrument prep area(colloquially known as the “back table”). Such lockouts may prevent anoperating room nurse, for example, from doing the testing necessary togain confidence that the device is functional.

Focusing now on at least one non-limiting embodiment, as can be seen inFIGS. 5-6, a surgical instrument 1 is shown that may comprise a surgicaltool, such as stapler 10, that may be configured to supply an actuationmotion or motions to an end effector 12, and a surgical test device,such as test device 100. As discussed above, the actuation motion(s) maycause a cutting member to move through the end effector and/or ejectsealing members, e.g., staples, from the end effector. Further, thesurgical tool may be configured to perform an intended surgicalfunction, such as eject a sealing member or members from the endeffector 12, be passed, at least partially, through a trocar or cannula(e.g., the end effector 12 and/or shaft 8 may be sized and configured tofit through the inner lumen of a trocar), and/or receive tissue withinthe end effector 12. Also, the surgical test device may be configured topermit the surgical tool to supply the actuation motion or motions tothe end effector, while preventing the surgical tool from performing atleast one of its intended surgical functions.

In more detail, in one embodiment, the surgical test device 100 may bereleasably attached to the end effector 12 of a surgical stapling and/orsevering tool, such as stapler 10, is shown. The end effector 12 maycomprise a cutting member. Further, the surgical stapler 10 may alsoinclude a lockout mechanism, discussed below, configured to prevent thecutting member 26 from moving within the end effector 12 when thelockout engages at least a portion of the cutting member 26 (see FIG.4). As used herein and as described in more detail below, the lockoutmechanism may include various portions of the surgical tool, such as,but not limited to, portions of the cutting member and/or the endeffector. Further, the test device 100 may comprise a body 101releasably engaged to the end effector 12. Unlike a staple cartridge,the body lack staple cavities or slots for ejecting staplestherethrough, and, accordingly, the test device need not includestaples. Further, also discussed in more detail below, a release membermay be coupled to the body and be configured to engage at least aportion of the lockout mechanism to prevent the lockout mechanism fromengaging the cutting member 26, thereby allowing one to test fire thesurgical stapler 10, without fear of ejecting a sealing member ormembers, such as staples, therefrom.

The surgical test device 100 may further prevent or reduce theprobability that the device will be improperly used without an unspentstaple cartridge. For example, referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the testdevice 100, owing to its relative size and when attached to a surgicalstapling and/or severing tool, such as stapler 100, may prevent the endeffector 12 from being inserted into and/or through a trocar. In moredetail, the surgical test device may further comprise a bottom wall 105and at least one side wall, such as side walls 102 and 103, extendingfrom the bottom wall 101. Further, an end wall, such as end wall 104,for example, may also extend from the body 101 and connect with sidewalls 102, 103. The bottom wall may be adjacent to the staple cartridgechannel 22 and the side walls and/or end wall 104 may extend past staplecartridge channel 22 toward and/or past anvil 24. Referring briefly toFIG. 9, the side walls 102, 103, end wall 104, and/or bottom wall 105may define a cavity 106 that is sized and configured to receive at leasta portion of the end effector 12. In any event, referring back to FIGS.5 and 6, the side walls 102, 103 and/or end wall 104 may be size andconfigured to be larger than a trocar through which end effector 12(when closed) and/or shaft 8 may normally, absent test device 100, fit.In other words, the side walls 102, 103 and/or end wall 104 may serve asa guard against inserting the surgical instrument 1 through a trocaruntil a user removes test device 100 and inserts an unspent staplecartridge 37 (see FIGS. 3-4).

Additionally, the surgical test device 100 may help prevent or reducethe probability that a user or another person may be unintentionallyinjured by the stapler 10, or that a patient's tissue is cut withoutsealing members, e.g., staples, in the stapler 10. Referring to FIGS. 7and 8, the surgical test device 100 is shown in transparency forclarity. The test device 100 is attached to the end effector 12, whichis shown in an open position (FIG. 7) and a closed position (FIG. 8). Ascan be seen, the end effector's two jaw members, e.g., staple cartridgechannel 22 and anvil 24, are movable between the aforementioned open andclosed positions and at least one of side walls 102, 103 and/or end wall104 may be sized and configured to cover the staple cartridge channel 22and anvil 24 when the channel 22 and 24 are in the open position. Inother words, one or more of side walls 102, 103 and/or end wall 104 mayextend away from the bottom wall 105, past the open position (FIG. 7) ofthe anvil 24. Further, one or more of side walls 102, 103 may have asloped profile, as shown, that correlates with the open position of theanvil 24. The angle of the walls' profile may be substantially equal tothe angle of the open position of the anvil 24. These angles may bemeasured with respect to the bottom wall 105 and/or staple cartridgechannel 22, which may be substantially parallel in orientation. Such asloped profile of side walls 102, 103 may reduce the amount of materialneeded to manufacture surgical test device 100. In any event, the sidewalls 102, 103, and/or end wall 104 may serve as a guard to ensure thatan unintended object, such as a patient's tissue and/or a non-patient'sfinger, for example, are not inserted into the surgical stapler 10 whilethe test device 100 is positioned on end effector 12. Accordingly, onemay be protected from the cutting member 26 (see FIG. 4) and/or othersharp features of the end effector 12.

The surgical test device 100 may be further configured to disable alockout feature of the surgical stapler 10. For example, the test device100 may include a release member, such as release member 107, that maybe coupled to the body 101 and be configured to engage the lockout toprevent the same from engaging the cutting member, thereby allowing oneto test fire the stapler 10 without wasting a staple cartridge 37 (seeFIGS. 3-4). Referring to FIG. 9, a top perspective view of the surgicaltest device 100 is shown unattached to an end effector. FIG. 10 alsoshows a side cross-sectional view of the surgical test device 100attached to an end effector 12 of surgical stapler 10 (see FIGS. 1-2).In FIG. 10, two jaw members, e.g., staple cartridge channel 22 and anvil24, and a cutting member 26 are illustrated; however, various additionalcomponents are omitted for the purposes of clarity. Additional exemplarydetails regarding such components may again be found in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/687,503, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTHAVING A SINGLE LOCKOUT MECHANISM FOR PREVENTION OF FIRING, (issued asU.S. Pat. No. 7,380,695), noted above. Further, the cutting member 26 isshown in transparency in FIGS. 10 and 12-13C for the purposes ofclarity. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the release member 107 mayprotrude from the bottom wall 105 of body 101. The release member 107may be separately formed and then attached to the body 101, or therelease member 107 may be unitary and integrally formed from the samepiece of material as the body 101. Regardless, release member 107 may bepositioned and configured to engage at least one component of a lockoutmechanism of a surgical stapling and/or severing tool, such as stapler10 (see FIGS. 1-2).

In more detail, portions of such a lockout mechanism may be best seen inFIGS. 11-12. FIG. 11 shows a partial perspective cross-sectional view ofthe surgical test device 100 attached to the end effector 10 of thesurgical stapler 10. The cutting member 26 may be coupled to a firingbar 29 that is configured to apply an actuation or firing motion, topush, or to otherwise move the cutting member in a distal direction DDwhen the firing trigger 20 (see FIGS. 5-6) is actuated. Further, thefiring bar may retract the cutting member 26 to a starting positionshown in FIGS. 10 and 11, for example, upon completion of the firingstroke. The firing bar 29 may be biased toward the bottom of the staplecartridge channel 22 by a spring, such as leaf spring 31 that slidinglycontacts a portion of firing bar 29. Further, the cutting member 26 mayinclude wings or pins 27 that extend laterally therefrom. Thus, when thefiring bar 29 drives the cutting member 26 in the distal direction DD,the cutting member 26, at least initially, and the pins 27 are driventowards the bottom of staple channel 22.

The staple channel 22 may further include a lockout trough 23 locatednear the starting position of the cutting member 26 that is sized andconfigured to receive the pins 27. Accordingly, when the cutting member26 is moved distally from the starting position shown in FIGS. 10 and11, the pins 27 may become lodged or otherwise stuck in trough 23,thereby preventing further distal movement of the cutting member 26, seeFIG. 12. FIG. 12 illustrates the cutting member 26 resting in thelockout trough 23 in a locked position.

In normal use, referring to FIGS. 3 and 11, when a staple cartridge 37is inserted in staple cartridge channel 22, a notch 32 at the distalportion of cutting member 26 may engage sled 38 and thereby prevent thepins 27 from moving into lockout trough 23. Further exemplary detailsregarding overcoming the lockout mechanism with a staple cartridge maybe found in the above mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/687,503, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING A SINGLELOCKOUT MECHANISM FOR PREVENTION OF FIRING, (issued as U.S. Pat. No.7,380,695).

In at least one embodiment, the lockout may be overcome by the surgicaltest device 100. In other words, the surgical test device 100 mayprevent the pins 27 from becoming lodged in lockout trough 23. Referringnow to FIGS. 13A-13C, the surgical test device 100 is shown attached tothe end effector 12 as the cutting member is moved into a release memberof the test device and over the lockout trough. In more detail, FIG. 13Ashows the cutting member 26 in a starting position, as mentioned above.FIG. 13B shows the cutting member 26 as it is being advanced in a distaldirection DD. The cutting member 26 and pins 27 are being biased towardslockout trough 23 by spring 29 (see FIG. 11). However, as the pins 27commence to enter the trough 23, a bottom portion 30 of cutting member26 contacts a ramp or inclined surface 108 of release member 107. As thecutting member 26 is further fired in the distal direction DD, thecutting member 26 may slide up the inclined surface 108 to prevent thepins 27 from engaging the lockout trough 23. FIG. 13C shows the cuttingmember 26 as it is further advanced distally such that the bottomportion 30 slides along a plateau or elevated surface 109 formed in thebody 101, for example, thereby allowing the cutting member 26 tosmoothly move through the end effector 12.

While the cutting member 26 is moving distally through the end effector12, a user may wish to observe or otherwise confirm the cutting member'stravel therethrough, to ensure that the surgical stapler 10 (see FIG. 5)is functioning appropriately. Accordingly, in various embodiments, thesurgical test device 100 may include features to inform a user that thestapler 10 is properly firing. In at least one embodiment, the user mayvisually see the cutting member 26 move. For example, referring again toFIG. 9, the test device 100 may include openings or slots 111 defined byend wall 104 and/or bottom wall 105. Further, referring to FIGS. 11 and12, for example, the bottom portion 30 of the cutting member may beexternally accessible and/or visible through a slot in the bottom ofstaple channel 22. Thus, when viewed from the underside, the advancementof cutting member 26, while surgical test device 100 is attached to endeffector 12, may be at least partially viewed through slots 111 (seeFIG. 9). Further, the body 101 may be transparent, thereby allowing oneto also see the cutting member 26 move through the end effector 12through one or more of walls 102, 103, 104, and 105.

The surgical test device 100 may be releasably engaged to an endeffector 12 as follows. Flex or snap tabs 110 may be attached to, formedin, and/or defined by side walls 102, 103. Each tab 110 may beconfigured to releasably engage a portion of the end effector 12, suchas staple cartridge channel 22 (see FIG. 10) and cooperate with bottomwall 105 to hold the end effector 12 thereto. Accordingly, referring toFIGS. 9 and 10, the end effector 12 may be pressed into cavity 106 untiltabs 110 snap onto the staple cartridge channel 22, for example. Thetabs 110 may also be configured to resist the forces created when thecutting member 26 contacts the release member 107, and thereby hold thetest device 100 in place during firing of the cutting member 26.

Removing the surgical test device 100 from the end effector may beeffectuated by pulling, twisting, and/or otherwise dislocating the tabs110 from the end effector 12. In at least one embodiment, the testdevice's body 101 may be flexible and/or made of a resilient plasticmaterial or materials. Further, the slot 111 defined by end wall 104 maybe open at the top of the test device 100, see FIG. 9, thereby betterallowing the body 101 to be pealed off the end effector 12, owing toseparation between portions of end wall 104. Also, the test device 100may further comprise at least one finger tab or grip 112 extending fromthe at least one side wall such that a user may grip the test device 100and apply the aforementioned pealing motion.

Referring still to FIG. 9, the surgical test device may also includepositioning tabs 113 extending from the side walls and configured toslidably engage the anvil 24 when the anvil is opened and closed, seeFIGS. 7-8. Positioning tabs 113 may help align the distal portion of thetest device when opening and closing the anvil 24 with respect to thestaple cartridge channel 22.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, when firing the surgical stapler 10, theside walls 102, 103 may tend to flex near the release member 107 as thecutting member 26 is advanced over the release member 107, jeopardizingclearance of the lockout trough 23 by pins 27. Accordingly, the surgicaltest device may further comprise at least one reinforcing rib 114connected to and/or formed in the side walls 102, 103. To overcome theaforementioned flexing, the reinforcing ribs 114 may also be located atthe same longitudinal position along the body 101 as where the releasemember is located, see FIG. 10.

Further, referring again to FIG. 9, to better maintain position andalignment at the distal portion of the test device 100 when the releasemember 107 is engaged by cutting member 26, a raised surface 115including a boss 116 extending from the bottom wall 105 may beincorporated and/or attached to the body 101. Referring to FIGS. 9 and10, when the end effector 12 is received in cavity 106, the outersurface of staple cartridge channel 22 may nest on raised surface 115(see FIG. 9) and the boss 116 may engage a bottom groove of the channel22 (see FIG. 10). Also, as the cutting member 26 engages the releasemember 107, the distal portion of the test device 100 may be urgedupwards; the boss 116 and/or raised surface 115 accordingly may helpprevent the test device 100 from moving undesirably during actuation ofthe cutting member over the lockout trough 23 (see FIGS. 13B-13C) bystabilizing the distal portion of the test device 100 against the endeffector 12.

Additionally, the surgical test device 100, in at least one embodimentmay also include one or more of the following. The surgical test device100 may be attached to a surgical tool, such as stapler 10 (see FIG. 5),before shipping the stapler 10 to a user. Thus, the test device 100 mayalso help protect the end effector 12 during storage and/or shipment.Also, the surgical test device may be clearly marked for use in testfiring only and/or for disposal prior to surgical use.

In various embodiments, a surgical test device may include features tobenefit a surgical tool with an articulating end effector. For example,referring now to FIGS. 14-16, various views of a surgical test device200 are provided. FIG. 14 is a perspective view the test device 200,FIG. 15 is a side cross-sectional view of the test device 200, and FIG.16 is a bottom view of the surgical test device 200. The test device 200may be similar to that described above and may include release member207 extending from body 201, a finger grip (with a visual instruction,“PULL”) also extending from the body 201, and slots 211 defined in thebody 211 (see FIG. 16). However, the surgical test device may furthercomprise a panel 218 hingedly mounted to a proximal portion 217 of thebody 201. The panel 218 may be hingedly mounted to the proximal bodyportion 217 by a living hinge 219 or other known hinges, for example.While the panel 218 is shown in an open position in FIGS. 14-16, thepanel 218 may be configured to cover an articulation pivot, such asarticulation pivot 14 adjacent to end effector 12 of surgical stapler 10(see FIGS. 1-2), for example, when in a closed position and when thesurgical test device 200 is releasably engaged to the end effector, asdescribed above. The panel 218 may also include a lip 220 extendingtherefrom that is configured to engage the proximal body portion 217when the panel 218 is closed, to create a releasable snap fit.

Referring to FIGS. 1-2 and 14, the panel 218 may serve at least twofunctions. First, the panel 218, when closed and in conjunction withproximal body portion 218, may assist in protecting the articulationpivot 14 during transportation and/or storage of the surgical stapler10, for example. Second, the panel 218, again when closed and inconjunction with proximal body portion 218, may also help contain orhold lubricant against the articulation pivot 14, until the stapler 10is ready for use in a patient, at which point, the panel 218 may beopened as seen in FIG. 14, for example, and the test device 200 removedfrom the stapler 10 by pulling the finger grip 212 away from the stapler10.

In various embodiments, a surgical test device may engage the lockoutmechanism of a surgical tool differently than that described above. Forexample, while the above-described release members engaged the lockoutmechanism of stapler 10 by protruding from outside the end effector 12and through the staple cartridge channel 22 (see, e.g., FIG. 10), asurgical test device may include a release member that is configured toengage the lockout mechanism without passing through the staplecartridge channel 22, in a manner that may be at least partially similarto the way that a regular, unspent staple cartridge prevents the lockoutfrom functioning.

In at least one embodiment and referring to FIGS. 17-18, a surgical testdevice 300 may include a body 301 that is sized and configured to fitwithin a staple cartridge channel 22 (see FIG. 10) in place of a staplecartridge 37 (see FIG. 4). FIG. 17 is a top perspective view of thesurgical test device 300 and FIG. 18 is a bottom perspective view of aproximal portion of the test device 300. The surgical test device 300may further comprise a release member 307 that includes a projection 322extending from a cantilevered arm 321 formed in body 301. Further, theprojection 322, cantilevered arm 321, and/or body 301 may define a slotthat is sized and configured to receive cutting member 26 therethrough(see, again, FIG. 4).

The release member 307 may engage the lockout mechanism of a surgicaltool, such as stapler 10, as follows. Referring to FIG. 17 for testdevice 300 and FIG. 11 for the stapler's components, when test device300 is inserted in staple cartridge channel 22, the notch 32 at thedistal portion of cutting member 26 may engage release member 307 atprojection 22 and thereby prevent the pins 27 from moving into lockouttrough 23. As the cutting member 26 is advanced in a distal directionDD, the cantilevered arm 321 may flex away from the cutting member 26,thereby allowing the cutting member 26 to pass. After the cutting member26 passes the projection 22, the cantilevered arm 26 may resilientlybend back into the initial position seen in FIG. 18, for example.Accordingly, as with test devices 100 and 200, discussed above, the testdevice 300 may be used multiple times within the same surgical stapler10. Notably, the projection 322 may be positioned with respect to body301 such that the projection 322 may engage the cutting member notch 32before the cutting member pins 27 move into or otherwise engage thelockout trough 23. Also, as can be seen in FIG. 17, the body 301 doesnot include any staple cavities or openings therein.

Further, referring to FIG. 17, the surgical test device 300 may furtherinclude walls 302, 303, and 304 formed at the distal portion of the body301. As can be seen, the side walls 302 and 303 may only extendpartially along the length of an end effector 12 (see FIG. 1).Accordingly, owing to the lack of a wall along the length of an endeffector, a user may not only observe a cutting member moving through anend effector from the bottom of the end effector, but he or she may alsodirectly observe a cutting member moving from the side of the endeffector.

In at least one embodiment, referring to FIGS. 19-20, a surgical testdevice, such as surgical test device 400, may be similar to a staplecartridge 37 (see FIGS. 3-4), except at least that the test device 400does not include staple cavities, staple openings, or staples or anyother form of a sealing member cavity, sealing member opening, orsealing member(s). Additional details regarding a staple cartridge maybe found in the aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/687,503, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING A SINGLELOCKOUT MECHANISM FOR PREVENTION OF FIRING, (issued as U.S. Pat. No.7,380,695). In more detail, referring back to FIGS. 19-20, the surgicaltest device 400 may include a body 401 that is sized and configured toengage a staple cartridge channel 22. In particular, the body 401 isdesigned to fit at least partially within the staple cartridge channel22 and may comprise a lower portion 401 a and an upper portion 40 b.Further, the body 401 lacks staple or sealing member openings defined inupper surface 423. Referring to FIG. 19, the test device 400 may furtherinclude a release member 407 coupled to the body that is configured toengage a lockout on a surgical severing and/or sealing device, such asstapler 10 (see FIG. 20). As can be seen in FIG. 19, the release member407 may comprise a movable member, such as sled 425, held between lowerand upper body portions, 401 a and 401 b, respectively. The movable sled425 may be similar to sled 38 discussed above with respect to staplecartridge 37 (see FIG. 3). In any event, referring to FIGS. 11 and 19,the sled may include a release surface 424 that is configured to engagethe notch 32 at the distal portion of cutting member 26 as the cuttingmember 26 is advanced in a distal direction DD and thereby prevent thepins 27 from moving into lockout trough 23. As the cutting member 26 isdriven distally, the sled 425 may be unable to return to the initialposition shown in FIG. 19, and thus the surgical test device 400 may bea single use device. Limiting the test device 400 to a single use may bebeneficial to help protect the battery life of an electrically poweredsurgical stapler, such as stapler 10, as the lockout mechanism may thenre-engage the cutting member once the cutting member is returned to itits starting position, as described above.

While surgical test device 400 may include at least three parts (i.e.,lower body portion 401 a, upper body portion 401 b, and sled 425), asurgical test device including a movable sled may only have two parts: abody and a movable sled. For example, in at least one embodiment andreferring to FIG. 21, a side perspective view of a surgical test device500 is shown. Similar to surgical test devices 300 and 400, describedabove, the surgical test device 500 may include a body 501 sized andconfigured to at least partially fit inside and engage a cartridgechannel of a surgical severing and/or sealing device, such as stapler 10(see FIG. 1). Further, the body 501 does not have staple cavities,staple openings, or staples or any other form of a sealing membercavity, sealing member opening, or sealing member(s). The surgical testdevice 500 may further include a release member 507 coupled to the bodythat is configured to engage a lockout on the surgical stapler 10.Similar to that described above, the release member 507 may be a movablemember, such as sled 525. However, body 501 may be a single piece andmovable sled 525 may be slidably engaged in a slot 511 defined by body501. For example, the sled 525 may include snap-fit features to allowthe sled 525 to be snapped into slot 511. In any event, sled 525 may atleast slide in a distal direction DD along slot 511. In use, the sled525 may function similar to sled 425, described above, at least in thatthe sled 525 may include a surface (not shown) that is configured toengage the notch 32 on cutting member 26 such that the pins 27 do notengage the lockout trough 23 (see FIG. 11) as the cutting member isadvanced in the distal direction DD. Again, as the cutting member isdriven distally, the sled 525 may be unable to return to the initialposition shown in FIG. 21, and thus the surgical test device 500 may bea single use device and provide various related advantages.

The surgical test device 500 may include walls 502, 503, and 504,similar to that discussed above. At least one wall, such as wall 502 mayinclude a symbol 526 formed, printed, and/or attached thereon thatindicates to a user that the test device 500 is disposable.

While the embodiments have been described, it should be apparent,however, that various modifications, alterations and adaptations to theembodiments may occur to persons skilled in the art with the attainmentof some or all of the advantages of the various embodiments. Forexample, according to various embodiments, a single component or stepmay be replaced by multiple components or steps, and multiple componentsor steps may be replaced by a single component or step, to perform agiven function or functions or accomplish a given objective. Further,the various components described above may be made from a variety ofmaterials. For example, the components may be made from any combinationof metal, plastic, and/or a biocompatible material. Additionally, whilein at least one embodiment, an electrically powered surgical stapler 10is described for use with a surgical test device, a surgical testdevice, according to one or more of the various embodiments describedherein, may be used with a manually powered surgical severing and/orsealing instrument, such as the surgical stapler described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/687,503, entitled SURGICAL STAPLINGINSTRUMENT HAVING A SINGLE LOCKOUT MECHANISM FOR PREVENTION OF FIRING,(issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,380,695), mentioned above. This applicationis therefore intended to cover all such modifications, alterations andadaptations without departing from the scope and spirit of the appendedclaims.

The devices disclosed herein can be designed to be disposed of after asingle use, or they can be designed to be used multiple times. In eithercase, however, the devices can be reconditioned for reuse after at leastone use. Reconditioning can include a combination of the steps ofdisassembly of the device, followed by cleaning or replacement ofparticular pieces, and subsequent reassembly. In particular, the devicescan be disassembled, and any number of particular pieces or parts of thedevice can be selectively replaced or removed in any combination. Uponcleaning and/or replacement of particular parts, the devices can bereassembled for subsequent use either at a reconditioning facility, orby a surgical team immediately prior to a surgical procedure. Those ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the reconditioning of adevice can utilize a variety of different techniques for disassembly,cleaning/replacement, and reassembly. Use of such techniques, and theresulting reconditioned device, are all within the scope of the presentapplication.

The devices described herein may be processed before surgery. First anew or used instrument is obtained and, if necessary, cleaned. Theinstrument can then be sterilized. In one sterilization technique, theinstrument is placed in a closed and sealed container, such as a plasticor TYVEK® bag. The container and instrument are then placed in a fieldof radiation that can penetrate the container, such as gamma radiation,x-rays, or higher energy electrons. The radiation kills bacteria on theinstrument and in the container. The sterilized instrument can then bestored in the sterile container. The sealed container keeps theinstrument sterile until it is opened in the medical facility.

Any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or inpart, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein isincorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated materialdoes not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or otherdisclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to theextent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth hereinsupersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference.Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated byreference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions,statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only beincorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between thatincorporated material and the existing disclosure material.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A method, comprising: obtaining a surgical toolconfigured to perform a surgical function, wherein the surgical toolcomprises a firing member and a lockout, wherein an actuation movementof the firing member is configured to generate the surgical function,and wherein the lockout is configured to prevent the actuation movementof the firing member; engaging a test device with the surgical tool;permanently disabling the lockout while the test device is engaged withthe surgical tool; and permanently preventing the surgical functionwhile the test device is engaged with the surgical tool.
 22. The methodof claim 21, further comprising disengaging the test device from thesurgical tool.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the lockout-preventsthe actuation movement of the firing member after disengaging the testdevice from the surgical tool.
 24. The method of claim 23, furthercomprising: engaging a fastener cartridge with the surgical tool afterdisengaging the test device from the surgical tool; actuating the firingmember; and generating the surgical function.
 25. The method of claim21, wherein engaging the test device with the surgical tool comprisingpositioning the test device at least partially around the surgical tool.26. The method of claim 21, wherein the lockout comprises a fixedlockout member, and wherein the test device is configured to disable thelockout by biasing the firing member out of engagement with the fixedlockout member.
 27. A method, comprising: obtaining a surgical toolconfigured to perform a surgical function, wherein the surgical toolcomprises a firing member and a lockout member, wherein an actuationmovement of the firing member is configured to generate the surgicalfunction, and wherein the lockout member is configured to prevent theactuation movement of the firing member; engaging a test device with thesurgical tool such that the test device overcomes the lockout member;actuating the firing member, wherein the test device permits theactuation movement of the firing member while preventing the surgicalfunction; and re-actuating the firing member without resetting the testdevice, wherein the test device permits the actuation movement of thefiring member while preventing the surgical function.
 28. The method ofclaim 27, wherein the lockout member is non-resettable.
 29. The methodof claim 28, further comprising disengaging the test device from thesurgical tool.
 30. The method of claim 29, further comprisingre-actuating the firing member after disengaging the test device fromthe surgical tool, wherein the lockout member prevents the actuationmovement of the firing member.
 31. The method of claim 30, furthercomprising: engaging a fastener cartridge with the surgical tool afterdisengaging the test device from the surgical tool; actuating the firingmember; and generating the surgical function.
 32. The method of claim30, wherein the lockout member is configured to contact the firingmember to prevent the actuation movement.
 33. The method of claim 32,wherein the test device permanently biases the firing member out ofcontact with the lockout member when the test device is engaged withsurgical tool.
 34. A method, comprising: obtaining a surgical toolconfigured to perform a surgical function, wherein the surgical toolcomprises a firing member and a non-resettable lockout member, whereinan actuation movement of the firing member is configured to generate thesurgical function, and wherein the non-resettable lockout member isconfigured to engage the firing member to prevent the actuationmovement; engaging a test device with the surgical tool such that thetest device biases the firing member out of engagement with thenon-resettable lockout member; and actuating the firing member, whereinthe test device prevents the surgical function.
 35. The method of claim34, further comprising re-actuating the firing member, wherein the testdevice again prevents the surgical function.
 36. The method of claim 34,further comprising disengaging the test device from the surgical tool.37. The method of claim 36, further comprising re-actuating the firingmember after disengaging the test device from the surgical tool, whereinthe non-resettable lockout member prevents the actuation movement of thefiring member.
 38. The method of claim 34, wherein engaging the testdevice with the surgical tool comprising positioning the test devicearound at least a portion of the surgical tool.